Vitamin D:

A Guide for Teens

You may know that vitamin D is important for you, but do you also know that you can get vitamin D from the sun? Read on to discover more about this sunshine vitamin and learn how you can get the vitamin D your body needs to stay healthy.

What is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a vitamin that helps your body use calcium. Calcium is a mineral that gives strength to your bones and teeth. It also helps your muscles and nerves function properly.

Why is vitamin D important?

Without enough vitamin D, your body may not be able to use the calcium it needs. This can lead to rickets and osteoporosis. Rickets, which means “soft bones”, is a condition that can affect young children. Osteoporosis causes weak bones that can break easily. Although osteoporosis generally affects older people, young women whose periods have stopped (for reasons such as eating disorders and low body weight), or use of steroids for certain chronic diseases, can develop osteoporosis.

How much vitamin D do I need?

Bones develop the most during the adolescent years. This is why it is important to get plenty of vitamin D if you are a preteen or teenager. It is recommended that children and adolescents get 10 mcg, sometimes written as 400 IU (international units), of vitamin D each day.

Where can I get vitamin D?

Believe it or not, you can get vitamin D from sunshine! The sun’s rays cause a chemical change to happen in your skin. This helps change the form of vitamin D in your skin to a type of vitamin D that your body can use. When you are outside in the sun for about 10-15 minutes, you are able to get enough vitamin D. But be sure to remember to put on sunscreen after those few minutes, so that you don’t get a sunburn (which can increase your skin cancer risk).

During the winter months, the sun may not be strong enough to help your body make vitamin D, so you must get it from food or vitamin tablets. Good food sources of vitamin D include dairy products and fortified breakfast cereals. Fish rich in natural oils like salmon and tuna also contain high amounts of vitamin D. Although it’s great to get vitamins and minerals from food, taking a multivitamin is another way to get the right amount. Check the bottle and make sure one tablet provides 10 mcg or 400 IU (international units).

Can I get too much vitamin D?

Yes. One thing to remember when taking a vitamin D supplement is that too much can be harmful in the same way that too little can be harmful. You just need 10 mcg (sometimes written as 400 IU) of vitamin D each day.

Below is a table of some healthy foods that contain vitamin D:

Is vitamin D deficiency a concern for adolescents?

Yes! A recent study done at Children’s Hospital Boston has shown that 1 in 5 boys and 1 in 4 girls don’t get enough vitamin D.

Am I at risk for Vitamin D deficiency?

If you are African American or Hispanic you could be at a higher risk for low vitamin D than if you are white. This is because skin that has a dark pigment can prevent most of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation from reaching the deeper layers of your skin where vitamin D is made. If you are at risk, however, you can spend a few extra minutes in the sun each day. Just remember to put on sunscreen after you have been in the sun long enough (about 15 minutes). This may be too long if you are very sensitive to the sun and burn easily.

If you live in a place that gets very little sunshine, especially during the winter months, it’s harder to get enough vitamin D. To figure out if you live in one of these places, look at a map of the United States and imagine a line running between San Francisco and Philadelphia. If you live North of this imaginary line, it is necessary for you (during the winter) to get your daily intake of vitamin D through food or supplements.

Written by the Center for Young Women's Health Staff

Updated 3/31/2005

Related Information:

• Quiz: Check Your Nutrition: Vitamins, Minerals, & Fiber
• Calcium and Teens
• Healthy Eating for Teens
• Related Links